| − | '''Directive 10-289''' (May 1, 2019), in [[Ayn Rand]]'s [[novel]] ''[[Atlas Shrugged]]'', was an [[Executive Order]] drafted by [[Wesley Mouch]], with the willing participation of [[James Taggart]], [[Orren Boyle]], [[Clem Weatherby]], [[Floyd Ferris]], and [[Fred Kinnon]], and signed by [[Mr. Thompson]], Head of State. Its eight points were an attempt to freeze the collapsing economy of the [[United States]] at then-current levels. Instead of doing that, it accelerated the decline, strengthened the case of [[John Galt]] and his friends, and hastened the ultimate collapse of economy and government. | + | '''Directive 10-289''' (May 1, 2019), in [[Ayn Rand]]'s [[novel]] ''[[Atlas Shrugged]]'', was an [[Executive Order]] drafted by [[Wesley Mouch]], with the willing participation of James Taggart, Orren Boyle, Clem Weatherby, [[Floyd Ferris]], and Fred Kinnon, and signed by [[Mr. Thompson]], Head of State. Its eight points were an attempt to freeze the collapsing economy of the [[United States]] at then-current levels. Instead of doing that, it accelerated the decline, strengthened the case of [[John Galt]] and his friends, and hastened the ultimate collapse of economy and government. |
| | As a practical matter, it was an attempt to interfere with the "creative destruction" that takes place in any system of [[capitalism]], without regard to anyone's cash-flow positions. If those positions were negative, then very likely an individual or businessman would rapidly find himself ever deeper in debt. But instead of dealing solely with a [[bankruptcy]] judge, a person in that situation would ''also'' have to do with the Unification Board. If "one bad general is better than two good generals who argue," then that is doubly true of courts, boards, or judges. | | As a practical matter, it was an attempt to interfere with the "creative destruction" that takes place in any system of [[capitalism]], without regard to anyone's cash-flow positions. If those positions were negative, then very likely an individual or businessman would rapidly find himself ever deeper in debt. But instead of dealing solely with a [[bankruptcy]] judge, a person in that situation would ''also'' have to do with the Unification Board. If "one bad general is better than two good generals who argue," then that is doubly true of courts, boards, or judges. |
| − | The only reason that anything like Directive 10-289 could stand would be that the United States of America no longer operated under its present Constitution. That lends further support to the idea that a runaway Constitutional convention provided the excuse to do away with the Constitution. Indeed no such thing as a national judiciary even bears mention in the novel; only a Legislature and a Head of State remain. | + | The only reason that anything like Directive 10-289 could stand would be that the United States of America no longer operated under its present Constitution. That lends further support to the idea that a runaway Constitutional convention provided the excuse to do away with the Constitution. Indeed, no such thing as a national judiciary even bears mention in the novel; only a Legislature and a Head of State remain. |